People receiving Christ at open air meeting in the marketplace.

I want to say thank you to everyone who prayed and gave financially to make our mission to Kenya in January, 2004 a success. People told me afterwards that they were praying and fasting for us while we were in Kenya and we certainly could sense your prayers. The entire team remarked how smoothly things went and how readily God’s grace was available to us in every situation.

We began to understand what this trip was going to be even on the plane ride to Amsterdam. A woman from Malawi, Africa was sitting next to me. It turns out that she had been in the United States because her daughter was sick. While the woman was in the US, her daughter died. The woman, whose name is Merci, had a Catholic background, but did not know Jesus as her Savior.

I shared about the new birth experience with her as we sat together on the plane. When we landed in Amsterdam, another team member, Julie, shared the plan of salvation with her. Then, as we were preparing to embark on the plane to Nairobi, Kenya, she came and sat next to us. Kim, another team member then led her in a prayer of salvation. Tears streamed down her face as she prayed. We were on the mission field.

Steve Basney preaching.

Our trip was both an awesome experience in the Lord and a very fruitful time of ministry. For our team (Kim Ellison of Fridley, Minnesota; Steve Basney of Cokato, Minnesota; Julie Nelson of Bismarck, North Dakota and me) it was time of fulfilling destiny and seeing the longing of our hearts to reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ fulfilled.

Unpacking my bags in my hotel room, I discovered that somehow I had left all my sermon notes at home. After I left, Susan found them laying there, left behind and cried. Oh well, it’s time to depend on the Holy Ghost, and pull up those messages out of my heart. My first sermon was an inspiration from the predicament. I called it “Use What You’ve Got.” In other words, don’t focus on what you don’t have, remember what God has already given you, and use it for the glory of God.

We began our time of ministry with a three-day pastors’ seminar. Pastors from various places in Kenya attended and were blessed by the ministry. The combination of Bible teachings, words of encouragement, and prayer from the team lifted the ministers to a new level, encouraged them in the Lord and brought focus and purpose to their ministries. One minister wrote to us saying, “We have appreciated wholeheartedly your work and support for these six days you have been with us. We are revived and on fire for Jesus.”

On the final day of the Pastors’ seminar, we had a team-teaching on the Holy Spirit. Kim Ellison taught on the Holy Spirit and His work in the church. Julie Nelson encouraged the people concerning the benefit of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and then I gave a short message on how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We gave an invitation and approximately 70 people came to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What a time we had in the Lord! The power of God brought liberty!

I also taught a message on the 5-fold ministry gifts and God’s unfolding revelation to the church in these last days, beginning with Martin Luther and the reformation up through the current move of God today. Before the final day was over, we also ministered by the laying on of hands to every pastor, minister or potential minister at the conference. After that, I had given every ounce of spiritual energy I had and was totally drained.

Besides the daytime seminars, we had evangelistic services each evening in the church. Our hosts were Pastor Samson and Betty Nyameche of Believers Fellowship Tabernacle Church in Kisumu, Kenya. We saw many people come to the Lord in salvation. . . and people healed as we ministered the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the evening services I preached on “Announcing: Good News”, “Pulling Down Strongholds” and “Redeemed from the Curse.”

Kim Ellison teaching the children.

On Sunday morning and evening, Kim and Julie held a children’s service. They dressed up as clowns, did puppet shows and songs with the children and talked to them about salvation. It was a blessed time.

The next day, Kim and Julie held a Women’s Seminar. They had only planned to share for an hour or two, but the meeting lasted for 4-5 hours. The women were so hungry for the

Julie Nelson working with the children.

teaching and ministry and love, that they couldn’t quit ministering. It was an outstanding time of ministry.

While in Kenya, we also visited the Mama Wilfrieda Orphanage, in the Nyando District near Kisumu, which our ministry has been helping to support. Team members brought clothing, toothbrushes, kazoos, toys, balloons and lots of love for the orphans. Kim and Julie did their clown skits and puppets and we encouraged the children in their walk with the Lord.

A new facility for the children has now been constructed to house the 82 children. Cooks provide 3 meals a day (mostly rice and beans). Meals are cooked in a small building over an open fire. The children then sit around the outside of the kitchen and eat their food from plastic bowls. We saw several of the children who were in the orphanage when we were there previously. The children learn the Bible and spiritual values. They sang several Christian songs for the team, as well as singing Happy Birthday to team member Kim Ellison.

Young man in the park.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was two nights of open air services which we held in Oile Park, Kisumu. At the park we saw people sitting all over selling food and other goods. Hundreds of people were milling about. There were also homeless people there and many children and young teens, homeless, and spending their days in a drunken stupor from sniffing glue. I had an opportunity to speak to a few of them and to encourage them to find the Lord and come out of that life-style.

At the park, also, one of our team members encountered a 4-year old girl, who was homeless also. Her father was dead, her mother in the hospital and she was fending for herself. Sadly, this scenario is not all that uncommon in Kenya where AIDS and other diseases are taking their toll on the lives and the families. There are many orphans and the government is not able to help them all.

The church set up their PA equipment, the singers began to praise and worship God and draw a crowd. I then preached the glorious Gospel of Christ to these needy people. One night I preached on Barabbas and Jesus. . . how Jesus took the punishment, but Barabbas (the criminal) went free, and how each of us deserve the punishment, but Jesus took it for us. We had a very positive result. Many came forward to receive Christ. They seemed to be very sincere. We also saw some instant healings at the open air services. One man, who helped us pray for others at the park, was healed in his own body.

The harvest truly is ripe in Africa. People are ready to receive the Lord. I had opportunity to lead a young man named Kevin into salvation at the hotel where we were staying. He told me that he was “on the path” to salvation, but was not saved. He was bound up in the teaching of his denomination. I was able to show him from the scriptures the way of finding salvation today by faith. He accepted Jesus and knew that he was born again. What a privilege to share this glorious Gospel.

Your gifts and ongoing support will help us to continue to take the glorious Gospel to the world. Our focus is world evangelism. The world’s GREATEST NEED is Jesus!